Tag: 2021

The Year the Film Was Released

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Movie Review

Hell Hath No Fury (2021) Movie Review

Hell Hath No Fury – ABC Film Challenge – Action – H – Hell Hath No Fury – Movie Review

Hell Hath No Fury

Director: Jesse V Johnson

Writer: Katharine Lee McEwan, Romain Serir (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Branded a traitor by her countrymen, French national Marie DuJardin is rescued by American soldiers on one condition: to survive, she must lead them to a cache of gold hunted by the Nazis, the French resistance, and the Americans alike.

Runtime: 1 Hour 34 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Hell Hath No Fury starts in the aftermath of World War II. Marie (Bergman) is branded a traitor by her homeland of France for reluctantly helping the Nazis. Meanwhile, a group of American soldiers led by Major Maitland (Mandylor) look to take advantage of her situation by making her reveal the location of the gold hidden by the Nazis.

As the Americans search the graveyard, they find themselves facing competition from the French resistance and Nazis looking to claim back the gold they stole. Marie looks to take advantage of the people using her to get her own revenge on everyone who cost her everything during the war.

Verdict on Hell Hath No Fury

Hell Hath No Fury is an action war movie following three different sides in a post-war environment. We have Americans, the French and the Nazis hunting for gold. They find themselves in a standoff with a local woman branded a traitor, trapped in a graveyard for the gold they want.

This is a tight action movie that is happy to bring the three sides together in a bigger battle. The three sides battling over a small area shows how they can look to end their differences or let greed take over. It creates the shady side of war and what happens between the sides. When it comes to the action, nothing feels as big or fresh as it wants to be. It leaves you knowing where the movie will go pretty quickly.

Final Thoughts – Hell Hath No Fury is the standard contained action movie.

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Movie Review

The Boss Baby 2: Family Business (2021) Movie Review

The Boss Baby Family Business – Movie Review

Boss Baby

Director: Tom McGrath

Writer: Tom McGrath, Michael McCullers (Story)

Cast (Voice Talents)

  • Alec Baldwin (Glengarry Glen Ross)
  • James Marsden (Sonic the Hedgehog)
  • Amy Sedaris (Elf)
  • Ariana Greenblatt (Love and Monsters)
  • Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park)

Plot: The Templeton brothers have become adults and drifted away from each other, but a new boss baby with a cutting-edge approach is about to bring them together again – and inspire a new family business.

Runtime: 1 Hour 47 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Boss Baby Family Business starts as Tim and Ted have grown up, and Ted has become a successful businessman. While Tim has his own family being a stay-at-home parent. However, his youngest Tina has started showing signs of intelligence like her uncle Ted.

When Tina brings the brothers together, she recruits them in her mission to uncover the truth about her new teacher. Dr Armstrong seems to be pushing for the baby take over, as Ted and Tim go undercover in the school. Here, Tim gets closer to his oldest daughter Tabitha for the first time in years as the brothers look to solve the problem.

Verdict on The Boss Baby Family Business

The Boss Baby Family Business is an animated sequel. It takes the siblings back to their childhood age to help the next generation of the family. It sees the brothers needing to work together once again, despite their differences.

This movie brings together a couple of serious subjects. Them being, parental relationships and sibling relationships. When it comes to the villain plot, it almost becomes the second fiddle to the bigger stories going on in the movie.

This will end up getting everything it needs out of the casual audience. It is harmless fun that the younger audience should enjoy.

Final Thoughts – The Boss Baby Family Business is one for the younger audience to enjoy.

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Movie Review

The Novice (2021) Movie Review

The Novice – ABC Film Challenge – Favourites – N – The Novice – Movie Review 

Novice

Director: Lauren Hadaway

Writer: Lauren Hadaway (Screenplay)

Cast

 

Plot: A college freshman joins her university’s rowing team and undertakes an obsessive physical and psychological journey to make it to the top varsity boat, no matter the cost.  

Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes  

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review 

Story: The Novice starts as we meet college freshman Alex (Fuhrman) who has a drive to become the best. She constantly works on her studies, but her new movement heads towards rowing. Alex starts pushing herself to prove she is worthy of being on the team.

Her dedication pays off as she gets placed in the training program with the varsity team. However, she needs to work toward the next level of intensity to make the full team. All this comes together to show the added pressure she has piled on herself in her first year of college.  

Verdict on The Novice

The Novice is a sports drama following a freshman that challenges herself to make the varsity rowing team. She pushes herself in her studies and training to prove herself. However, can she handle the pressure it is putting on her mind and body.

This is an intense drama showing how much someone can put into taking part in a sport. It shows the dangers she places upon herself with the pressure that clearly starts getting to her. Isabelle Fuhrman is incredible in her role which shows how far she pushes herself through the movie. This ends up being one of the most intense movies on sporting determination you will see. 

Final Thoughts –The Novice is an intense sports drama.

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Movie Review

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021) Movie Recommnedation

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nomination – M – Marcell the Shell with Shoes On – Movie Recommendation

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nomination – M – Marcell the Shell with Shoes On - Movie Recommendation

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Writer: Dean Fleischer Camp, Jenny Slate, Nick Paley (Screenplay)

Writer: Dean Fleischer Camp, Jenny Slate, Nick Paley, Elisabeth Holm (Story)

Cast

Plot: A cash-strapped documentary maker decides to make his newest documentary about a mollusk shell he finds living in his Airbnb with his friends.

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

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Movie Review

The Worst Person in the World (2021) Movie Review

The Worst Person in the World – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominations – E (Eskil Vogt) – The Worst Person in the World – Movie Review

The Worst Person in the World – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominations – E (Eskil Vogt) – The Worst Person in the World - Movie Review

Director: Joachim Trier

Writer: Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: The chronicles of four years in the life of Julie, a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is.

Runtime: 2 Hours 8 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Worst Person in the World starts as we meet a young woman Julie (Reinsve). She is trying to figure out her life stepping away from her medical school role to become a photographer. Julie finds herself in a relationship with Aksel (Lie) and believes her life is set up and ready for her.

As the years pass by, Julie starts to wonder about her life and her decisions. This leads her to start questioning everything she has done and wants to do. However, she finds herself believing she could well be the problem behind her own struggles.

Verdict on The Worst Person in The World

The World Person in the World is a romantic comedy following a young woman trying to figure out her life. She doesn’t have a career in mind and finds love in different places. However, with each step she takes, she finds herself wondering what she wants from her own life thinking the worst about herself.

This does get to tackle real-life problems with trying to understand what you want from life. It follows Julie through 12 chapters of her life as she looks back at the decisions she made. Some felt right at the time, while others seem to have lasting effects on her life. It does get the message across strongly, however, it does also make it difficult to connect to everything going on. The whole career uncertainty doesn’t seem to go anywhere and being unsure about love seems to create a negative shadow around Julie.

Final Thoughts – The Worst Person in the World has a strong message played throughout.

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Movie Review

Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break (2021) Movie Review

Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break – Movie Review

Paul Dood

Director: Nick Gillespie

Writer: Matthew White, Nick Gillespie, Brook Driver (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A weedy charity-shop worker is set on winning the big national talent show. But when the actions of 5 selfish people cause him to miss his audition, he sets out to seek deathly revenge. It’s 1 lunch break, 5 spectacular murders.

Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break starts when Paul Dood (Meeten) is preparing for a talent contest. His biggest supporter is his mother, and he has dreamed of this moment for years. He streams his life, but unfortunately, a series of events causes him to miss his chance and his mother to die.

Paul decides to get revenge on the people who wronged him during that day. However, he only has his lunch break to complete his rampage. Once he gets started, he starts to go viral for the first time in his life.

Verdict on Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break

Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break is an action comedy following a lonely man who sees his dreams taken from him. His life ends up falling apart around him leading him to go on a revenge journey on everyone that stopped him making his dream come true.

This is a movie that gets to bring plenty of laughs along the way showing that dreams don’t always come true. However, it is how you handle them not going your way that can define you. Although the series of deaths are comical in a similar way to what ‘Tucker and Dale vs. Evil’ did before. It is funny, while having a real meaning about understanding your place in the world.

Final Thoughts –Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break is a funny movie with a nice heart to go with it.

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Movie Review

The Human Trap (2021) Movie Review

Stalked by the Unknown: An Analysis of Human Trap

Stalked by the Unknown: An Analysis of Human Trap

Director: Lee Moon-young

Writer: Lee Moon-young (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Kand Byeol (Punch)
  • Kim Dong-ho
  • Park Yeon-woo

Plot: A group of young friends from the city go on a camping getaway. What starts as a fun-in-the-woods adventure soon turns into a bloody nightmare as a madman and eventually his suave henchman stalk them like prey. Will they survive?

Runtime: 1 Hour 24 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Human Trap starts when four friends break down and get offered a lift by a stranger. However, they end up being left in the middle of the woods, without knowing where they are now. The four must figure out how to survive with what they have as they go in search of safety.

However, the four find themselves getting tested to the limit and unsure of what is going on. Their attempts to escape lead to them getting injured and the human conflict between them starts taking over.

Verdict on The Human Trap

The Human Trap is a horror thriller following a group of friends who find themselves stranded in the woods. They must figure out what is going on, when things start to spiral out of control. However, there is a much more sinister plan for them all.

This is a horror movie that dives into a mixture of social experiments in hidden locations. It shows the different mindsets of the characters as things unfold, along the bigger truth comes to life. Nothing in the movie feels overly fresh to concepts we have seen before. It also looks to give us a lot of twists and turns, which don’t feel as deserved. Some would have worked, while others ended up missing out on what happened before.

Where to Watch

THE HUMAN TRAP Premieres 1/11/24 on Amazon Prime

Final Thoughts – The Human Trap is a typical experimental movie.

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Movie Review

Pups Alone (2021) Movie Review

Pups Alone – Movie Review

Pups Alone Poster

Director: Alex Merkin

Writer: Brandon Burrows, Casey DeVargas, Jason Gruich (Screenplay)

Cast (Voice Talents)

Plot: While everyone is away on a company ski trip, Robert’s neighbour hires two inept thieves to steal his latest invention. The neighbourhood dogs will use Robert’s inventions to set up a house of horrors for the thieves.

Runtime: 1 Hour 47 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Pups Alone starts when Robert (Hollinger) and his daughter Jenna (Swann) move to a company neighbourhood. He got a new job as a project manager for a pet company, with his latest invention being a dog translator. Jenna has her beloved dog Charlie to keep her company as they meet their new neighbour Victor (Lundgren).

When Victor invites Robert on the company vacation, he leaves Charlie to guard the house. However, this is a plan for Victor to steal Robert’s ideas and the local dogs must work together to defend the home.

Verdict on Pups Alone

Pups Alone is a family comedy following a group of dogs that must protect a home from burglars. This sees them using the inventions to fight back in a Home Alone tone. As this unfolds, the father and daughter must rebuild their relationship after their wife and mother’s death.

This is a simple-to-watch family comedy that gets the basic laughs without hitting the big laughs. The dogs are cute and adorable, being the main reason why we watch this movie. Sadly, the human story feels like it gets left behind and ends up leading us down a path of greed.

Final Thoughts – Pups Alone is a standard family-comedy with cute dogs.

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Movie Review

American Traitor (2021) Movie Review

American Traitor – Movie Review

American Traitor poster

Director: Michael Polish (The Astronaut Farmer)

Writer: Vance Owen, Darryl Hicks, Michael Polish (Screenplay)

Writer: William E Owen, Vance Owen (Book)

Cast

Plot: American Traitor follows the life of American woman Mildred Gillars and her lawyer who struggles to redeem her reputation.

Runtime: 1 Hour 49 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: American Traitor starts as Mildred Gillars (Williams) is arrested and charged with treason. Thereby, facing the death penalty. Lawyer James Laughlin (Pacino) has reluctantly taken the role of defending her. Meanwhile, Billy Owen (Temmel) takes a role in working with Laughlin on this case.

As the case rolls along, we get to see how Mildred was the voice of the propaganda machine in Germany. Despite not having much choice about her role, knowing it was this or death. This leaves us wondering if she will escape the death penalty or not.

Verdict on American Traitor

American Traitor is a courtroom drama focusing on a radio host for the Nazi propaganda machine being accused of treason. The movie will highlight the roles people were forced to have in war. Even if they did what they could to help with a difficult approach.

It is based on a real case, one that will challenge the humanity of people in the aftermath of war. Showing that despite winning the war, the American machine didn’t want anyone who was an enemy still alive.

The way this story is told isn’t the clearest, because we jump around the backstory. Never focuses on the order of what happened, more on the most important moment for that discussion.

Meadow Williams is great in the leading role, showing the strength her character showed through the difficult times. Both in court and in Germany, where she stood up for what is right. Al Pacino dominates on-screen during the courtroom scenes. The rest of the cast is fleshed out well too.

Where to Watch: American Traitor to stream on Sky now.

Final Thoughts – American Traitor is an interesting courtroom drama.